Brozmeas Merryminer was born to a small family of dwarves in the great Dwarven city of Nahrum, far in the north of the Kingdom of Korvald. The Merryminers were a bunch of somewhat warm-blooded Dwarves, appreciating the heat the earth gave them more than the harsh colds of northern Folkmar, and as such spent much of their time mining underground. Brozmeas' father, Barissal, even owned quite a succesful mine not far away from the cities' great walls. Brozmeas, as well as his two siblings, spent much time toiling away underground, trying to become better at mining and leading expeditions into the depths under the mountains. Brozmeas was known as quite a hot-headed young boy, his parents often scolding him for fights he got into and the like. In the bars of Nahrum, he was well-known as an avid drinker, and many called him Merry.
One day, as Brozmeas was exploring a cave with a small group of Dwarves, they came across a strange formation - what appeared to be a massive root barred their path, and strange blue crystals grew within them. Immediately enraptured by the beauty of this tree, Brozmeas hurried back to tell his father of what he had found. However, Barissal didn't react in the way he had hoped - the stubborn Dwarf ordered his men to destroy the tree to get the crystals on the inside. When Brozmeas complained, he explained the gem inside was Yrthellite, an extremely rare magical gem that was said to contain the power of the old Frost Giants. Brozmeas, realizing the Dwarves were about to destroy the beautiful tree that had managed to live for so long underground, angrily stormed out, claiming he would never let his family destroy something so serene and perfect.
Brozmeas managed to outrace the other miners, causing a cave-in that would stop them from reaching the roots - but found himself trapped inside against his will. Scared, he tried to break out at first, but after a while he realized this was impossible, and he heard the noise of birds chirping and running water behind him. Soon he found out the tree was home to a small community of animals, as well as a small brook, and was more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. A sense of calmness and direction came over him as he sat before the tree, watching the various frogs, insects, bats and birds move through the cave.
Slowly, loneliness took over. He had managed to find a trove of edible mushrooms that seemed to regrow overnight, and the water was fresh and clean. Brozmeas started talking to the animals, to the trees, to himself, in an attempt to keep himself sane. It took him about a month before he heard a response - the tree answered his questions. Shocked, he tried to converse with it, but the tree was silent yet again. Every day, the tree talked to him, sometimes a question, sometimes an answer, sometimes only a single word, but Brozmeas appreciated the company. He found out the tree was named Ironroot, and began to learn from him.
Slowly, over the course of years, Brozmeas changed. Ironroot bestowed much wisdom upon him, and much serenity. Brozmeas began to understand from Ironroots slow teachings how to connect to nature, how to channel the energy around him, and how much value there is in the hidden beauty of the world. Ironroot said this was his reward for protecting his roots, for appreciating that some lost things just weren't meant to be found. Brozmeas began communicating with the animals in the cave, learning to understand their subtle movements and sounds for the language they are.
After almost 60 years, Brozmeas began to realize he couldn't continue like this. He felt a movement within Ironroot as well, and he somehow knew there was an outside world that he needed to return to. His parents would surely have missed him, he thought - and his sisters would be all grown up like he was. He explained this to Ironroot one day, and the old tree understood. In one final moment of connection, he was given an artifact of considerable power, a part of Ironroots very being. He named took it on his back and headed outside with his new magical abilities, knowing that wherever he was, Ironroot would still travel with him.
Once out in the cold, Brozmeas realized the winter was raging upon the landscape. He headed back to Nahrum, unused to this weather, but soon found out something horrifying had happened - the Etherien Republic, a land he had heard of before but only in tales, had taken over Nahrum. Many of his former friends and acquaintances were dead, and no one seemed to remember him or the small family of the Merryminers. Distraught but able to keep his calm, Brozmeas headed southwards to find what else had happened in the world. He hoped maybe to find his family, as well, and apologize for his past aggressions.
Heading southwards through the mountains was harder than he remembered. He managed to use his hammerstaff and magical abilities to keep most of the monsters away, and even took to sheltering small rodents and animals in his beard, to keep both himself and them warm. A pair of rats named Jazeg and Orir were his favorite conversational partners, and he also took to having at least a short chat with every tree he found. Most people he met on the road thought him mad. At one point, a blizzard rushed through the mountains, so powerful he had to stay camped in a cave for almost two weeks - but he managed to sustain himself using the mushrooms and other plants he found within.
Now, Brozmeas leaves the mountains of Folkmar - he prepares himself for an easier time as Spring is upon him, and he is grateful for every moment he gets to see of the world. He steps through the snowy forests, not a worry for any attention from others, when suddenly....
One day, as Brozmeas was exploring a cave with a small group of Dwarves, they came across a strange formation - what appeared to be a massive root barred their path, and strange blue crystals grew within them. Immediately enraptured by the beauty of this tree, Brozmeas hurried back to tell his father of what he had found. However, Barissal didn't react in the way he had hoped - the stubborn Dwarf ordered his men to destroy the tree to get the crystals on the inside. When Brozmeas complained, he explained the gem inside was Yrthellite, an extremely rare magical gem that was said to contain the power of the old Frost Giants. Brozmeas, realizing the Dwarves were about to destroy the beautiful tree that had managed to live for so long underground, angrily stormed out, claiming he would never let his family destroy something so serene and perfect.
Brozmeas managed to outrace the other miners, causing a cave-in that would stop them from reaching the roots - but found himself trapped inside against his will. Scared, he tried to break out at first, but after a while he realized this was impossible, and he heard the noise of birds chirping and running water behind him. Soon he found out the tree was home to a small community of animals, as well as a small brook, and was more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. A sense of calmness and direction came over him as he sat before the tree, watching the various frogs, insects, bats and birds move through the cave.
Slowly, loneliness took over. He had managed to find a trove of edible mushrooms that seemed to regrow overnight, and the water was fresh and clean. Brozmeas started talking to the animals, to the trees, to himself, in an attempt to keep himself sane. It took him about a month before he heard a response - the tree answered his questions. Shocked, he tried to converse with it, but the tree was silent yet again. Every day, the tree talked to him, sometimes a question, sometimes an answer, sometimes only a single word, but Brozmeas appreciated the company. He found out the tree was named Ironroot, and began to learn from him.
Slowly, over the course of years, Brozmeas changed. Ironroot bestowed much wisdom upon him, and much serenity. Brozmeas began to understand from Ironroots slow teachings how to connect to nature, how to channel the energy around him, and how much value there is in the hidden beauty of the world. Ironroot said this was his reward for protecting his roots, for appreciating that some lost things just weren't meant to be found. Brozmeas began communicating with the animals in the cave, learning to understand their subtle movements and sounds for the language they are.
After almost 60 years, Brozmeas began to realize he couldn't continue like this. He felt a movement within Ironroot as well, and he somehow knew there was an outside world that he needed to return to. His parents would surely have missed him, he thought - and his sisters would be all grown up like he was. He explained this to Ironroot one day, and the old tree understood. In one final moment of connection, he was given an artifact of considerable power, a part of Ironroots very being. He named took it on his back and headed outside with his new magical abilities, knowing that wherever he was, Ironroot would still travel with him.
Once out in the cold, Brozmeas realized the winter was raging upon the landscape. He headed back to Nahrum, unused to this weather, but soon found out something horrifying had happened - the Etherien Republic, a land he had heard of before but only in tales, had taken over Nahrum. Many of his former friends and acquaintances were dead, and no one seemed to remember him or the small family of the Merryminers. Distraught but able to keep his calm, Brozmeas headed southwards to find what else had happened in the world. He hoped maybe to find his family, as well, and apologize for his past aggressions.
Heading southwards through the mountains was harder than he remembered. He managed to use his hammerstaff and magical abilities to keep most of the monsters away, and even took to sheltering small rodents and animals in his beard, to keep both himself and them warm. A pair of rats named Jazeg and Orir were his favorite conversational partners, and he also took to having at least a short chat with every tree he found. Most people he met on the road thought him mad. At one point, a blizzard rushed through the mountains, so powerful he had to stay camped in a cave for almost two weeks - but he managed to sustain himself using the mushrooms and other plants he found within.
Now, Brozmeas leaves the mountains of Folkmar - he prepares himself for an easier time as Spring is upon him, and he is grateful for every moment he gets to see of the world. He steps through the snowy forests, not a worry for any attention from others, when suddenly....
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